Brightbill, who was initially diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma when he was 18 underwent a stem cell transplant when the cancer returned.

Amazingly, that's just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the medical adversity Brightbill has had to overcome. He also had a heart valve replacement and wound up in ICU for seven weeks when he suffered respiratory distress.

Hard though it may be to believe, Brightbill also dealt with a blood clot, MRSA, and four mini-strokes.

Somehow, he endured and on August 8, he was on hand to walk his daughter down the aisle. One of his doctors was awed by Brightbill's perseverance, saying, "His ability to keep going, and his family's ability to keep pushing him, their drive, their faith that he could get through this, was absolutely incredible."

Brightbill kept it simple when explaining his ordeal. “You make a promise to your little girl, you keep it," he said.